Feeder.



C. G. PRITCHARD.

FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1915.

1,24%97u Patented Oct, 16,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. G. PRITCHARD.

FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.12. 1915.

1,242,978. Patented 001;. 16,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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snares earner enrich.

EARL G. PEITCHARD, OF WARREN, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE HARRIS AUTOMATIC PRESS COMPANY, OF NILES, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FEEDER].

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. M5, 1917..

Application filed February 12, 1915. Serial No. 7,737.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL G. PnrroHARD,

of Warren, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvementsin Feeders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

In. Ian application for patent filed by Walter H. Smith February 10, 1915, Serial No. 7282, provision is made for separating and feeding bag-tubes from a pile thereof by moving the topmost bag-tube longitudinally and then'transversely, advantage be ing taken of the stiffness of the material (which is enhanced by the usual corrugations which extend longitudinally of bagtubes) to permit the longitudinal movement to be effected by a pusher or separating element engaging one edge or end of the bagtube. According to the particular means shown in such application each bag-tube is moved longitudinally from the pile, the initial movement of the pusher or separator being supplemented by a further longitudinal movement efiected by take-out rolls, by which latter the articles are fed into the feeding-path of a printing press or other paper-handling machine. The bag-tubes are there received on a table from which they are fed transversely, or at right angles to their initial line of movement, into the machine. The arrangement referred to contemplates having the feederv and pile of bagtubes, ofl'set relatively to the press at one end thereof, and this feature is open to the objection that a press so equipped requires considerable space, more in fact than 1s often feasible in a printing or like establishment.

According to my invention the pile may be located directly in front of the machine, and it is not necessary that the articles, after being separated by the initial longitudlnal movement, be wholly removed from the pile before being moved transversely or at right-angles to the initial movement. By my invention it is only necessary to move the topmost article sufficiently to allow or cause a portion thereof to project beyond the edge of the pile, whereupon such pro ecting portion will be positively engaged by gripping means through the instrumentality of which the article is then fed at right-angles to its initial movement.

The object of my present invention is to economize space, and to provide improved and highly efficient means for feeding bagtubes and other articles forward from a pile thereof after being partly separated from such pile.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an end elevation, the cylinders of a print ing press being indicated in outline. Fig. 2 is a View at right-angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a slight modification. Fig. 5 is a view at right-angles to Fi 4. Fig. 6 is a plan View of Fig. 5.

Feferring to the drawings, 1 designates a pile of stock which I have shown as being composedof bag-tubes for handling which my invention is especially adapted, but its use is not restricted since it may be employed with equal facility for handling various ar ticles. The means for supporting the pile and for maintaining it at a uniform level form no part of my present invention, and further reference thereto is unnecessary.

While various means may be employed for moving the topmost article to cause it to project beyond the edge of the pile, I have shown for this purpose a pusher or separator in the form of a'iiooked member 2 which is designed to reciprocate on the top of the pile, near one end, so as to hook into the notch at the end of the topmost bag-tube and move the latter longitudinally of the pile a sufficient distance to cause its opposite end to project beyond the edge of such pile. I have shown this member 2 as mounted on a reciprocating rod 8 which is actuated by a bell-crank 4 and a cam 5 engaging therewith, such engagement being insured by a spring 6.

Adjacent to that edge of the pile beyond which the topmost article is designed to be projected is an inclined guide 7 by means of which each article is guided into suitable gripping members for engaging the end of the article and then moving the latter at right-angles to its initial movement. I have shown a choke-gage 8 bearing downwardly on guide 7 to prevent the passage to the gripping members of more than one article at a time. Any suitable or known means may be employed for this purpose.

According to the. means shown in Figs.

1 to 3 the gripping members by which the secondary movement is imparted to the stock comprise spaced-apart lower feed rolls 9 (positively driven by the gearing indicated in Figs. 2 and 3), and upper cooperating feed rolls 10 which are raised and lowered by gears 12, rack 13, and cam 14, such upper feed-rolls'being raised to permit the articles to enter between them and the lower rolls. When the upper rolls are lowered the article is firmly held by the gripping members, and the rolls being spaced-apart will contact with the stock over a relatively wide surface, insuring thereby the feeding of the stock from the pile at right-angles to its initial movement longitudinally of the pile. Each article is thus 'fed to the take-out rolls by which it is delivered to the press or other paper-handling machine. I have shown the lower take-out roll 15 in the form of one continuous cylindrical body with which the upper take-out rolls 16 engage.

In proximity to that end of the pile beyond which the topmost article is designed to project, I locate a knocker or jogger 19 which is shown in the form of a spring-held lever fulcrum'ed on one of the side frames and to which is connected a rod 20 with which engages an actuating cam 21.

While I prefer meanssuoh as I have above described for carrying out my invention,

yet-such means. may be widely varied without departing from the spirit of my in vention. Thus, in Figs. 4 to, 6 I have shown differently constructed gripping members for imparting the secondary movement to the stock but such gripping members, like those be ore described, have an extended area of contact with the stock and efiect the movement of the latter'at rightangles to its initial movement. I have shown these gripping members as comprising two parts, 21 and 22, the former being curved to guide the stock in the manner contemplated by the curved guide 7. The upper member 22 is capable of being raised and lowered to receive and release the stock through the instrumentality of a cam 24: which is connected by a link 25 to a rock shaft 26, upon which latter the upper member 22 is keyed. The shaft 26 and a second paralleling shaft 27, form the guides for the gripping members. The latter are designed to be reciprocated by a toothed sector 28 engaging teeth on the underside of gripping member 21, said sector being actuated by a cam 29. I have-also shown the choke gage, bearing on the upper surface of the lower gripping member 21, in the form of a lever 30, which is raised and lowered by means of a constantly-revolving cam 31. The gearing is outlined in Figs. 5 and 6.

The advantages of my present invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. It will be seen that by means 23 acting on a lever thereof the advantage arising from feeding topmost article from the pile, that is to say,

a sufiicient distance to enable one end or portionthereof to project beyond the edge of the pile a sufiicient distance to enable such projecting portion to be grasped by means for imparting to the article the secondary movement at right-angles to the initial movement.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a feeder, means for moving the topmostpiece of stock from a pile thereof to cause a portion to project beyond the edge of such pile, and means for gripping the projecting portion of such topmost piece and moving the latter from the pile at right angles to its initial movement.

2. In a feeder, means for engaging the topmost article of a pile thereof and moving it longitudinally on the pile, and means for positively engaging the projected end of the article and then moving it from the pile at right-angles to its initial movement.

3. In a bag-tube feeder, means for engaging the topmost bag-tube of a pile thereof and moving it longitudinally on the pile, and means for then positively engaging the projected end of the bag tube and moving V means for engaging the topmost bag-tube of a pile thereof and moving it longitudinally on the pile, and means for positively engaging the projected end of said bag-tube and then moving it from the pile to the press at right angles to its initial movement. 1

6. In combination with a printing press, a feeder located at one end thereof, means for moving the topmost piece of stock from a pile thereof to cause a portion to project beyond the edge of such pile, and means for gripping the projecting portion of such topmost piece and movin the pile to the press at rlght angles to its initial movement.

7. In a feeder, means for moving the topmost piece of stock from a pile thereof to cause a portion to project-beyond the edge of such pile, and gripping members for engaging such projecting portion and firmly the latter from i holding a substantial section thereof and for 1 moving such topmost piece from the pile at right-angles to its initial movement.

- 8. In a feeder, means for moving the topmost piece of stock from a pile thereof to cause a portion to project beyond the edge of such pile, and revolving grippmg memv .bers forengaging such projectlng portion and firmly holding a substantial section thereof and formoving such topmost piece from the pile at right-angles to its initial movement.

v9. In a feeder, means for moving the topmost piece of stock from a pile thereof to cause a portion to project beyond the edge of such pile, and cooperating revolving gripping members for engaging such pro;

jecting portion and firmlyholding a sub-- stantial section thereof and for moving such topmost piece from the pile at right-angles to its initial movement.

10. In a feeder, means for moving the topmost piece of stock from a pile thereof to cause a portion to project beyond the edge of such pile, gripping members for engaging such portion and firmly holding a substantial section thereof, a choke gage interposed between the pile and said gripping members, and means for actuating the latter for moving such topmost piece from the pile at right-angles 'to itsinitial movement.

11. In a feeder, means for moving the topmost piece of stock from a pile thereof to cause a portion to project beyond the edge of such pile, gripping members for engaging such projectingportion and firmly holding a substantial section thereof, a reciproeating member adjacent to said gripping members for periodically engaging the pile to maintain the stock in place, and means for In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

' CARL G. PRITCH-ARD,

Witnesses: v CLARE CALDWELL,

H. A. Bonenss. 

